SHANGHAI tanks: Starry reviews fail to enthuse audiences

June 9, 2012 09:52:23 AM ISTBy Rajesh Kumar Singh, Glamsham Editorial

Inspite of all the four and five star reviews by a whole mass of film reviewers who have discovered great cinematic virtues in Dibakar Banerjee's SHANGHAI, the film has tanked at the box office with a dismal opening and poor box office collections. The distribution might of PVR and heavy promotions of the film have failed to produce desired results.

There are reports of the cancellation of its shows at certain centres. At best and on an average the film had a 20% opening, a disastrous scenario by all counts. Contrary to the belief its multiplex business is no better than single screen theatres. It has performed badly across A, B, and C centres and the exhibitors and local distributors seem to have given up on the film after having judged the initial audience reaction. They are not the ones who will get swayed by glowing English paper reviews. The film seems to have neither worked with the masses nor the classes. Will the collections rise on Saturday? The possibility seems remote, and even if it happens, it will be marginal since there is no positive 'word-of-mouth' buzz about the film.

ROWDY RATHORE rides on with aplomb in its second week with no competition in sight and is all set to go way past 100 crores net in box office collections at the end of its second week run. The film is doing well with family audiences, and is a hot favourite of kids still on vacation.

(Rajesh Kumar Singh is Editorial Consultant for Festivals and Markets for BollywoodTrade.com. He is a filmmaker, critic and market analyst)